Journal of the American Heart Association, Volume 15, Issue 6 , March 17, 2026. BackgroundRandomized trials and clinical guidelines support early initiation of guideline‐directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure (HF).
The EMPACE (Treatment Patterns of Guideline‐Directed Medical Therapies in Heart Failure Patients in the Real‐World) study examined GDMT use in US clinical practice among patients hospitalized with heart failure (HHF).MethodsThis observational cohort study examined US patient data from Optum's deidentified Market Clarity database (June 2020–September 2023). GDMT use was assessed in the 12 months before and after HHF.
Discontinuation was assessed over 12 months after initiation.ResultsAmong 17 210 patients (73% HF with reduced ejection fraction [EF], 4%, HF with mildly reduced EF, 23% HF with preserved EF), mean age was 69.2 years, and 60% were male. Before HHF, among patients with HF with reduced EF (HFrEF), only 1% received quadruple therapy; use of individual therapies was beta blockers 68%, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers 64%, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists 23%, angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) 14%, and sodium–glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) 5%.
Journal of the American Heart Association published a clinical update in Cardiology on 10 Mar 2026.
The item focuses on Contemporary Guideline‐Directed Medical Therapy for Heart Failure in the United States: The EMPACE Study.
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